Sofar Ocean builds and operates a large open-ocean sensor network and an ocean intelligence platform used across shipping, government and environmental research. The platform leverages thousands of IoT sensors that deliver over 100,000 unique ocean data points every day to power applications including climate research, fuel-efficient ocean mobility, offshore energy site and risk assessment, weather models and coastal protection. Led by CEO Tim Janssen and based in San Francisco, the company provides real-time insights to customers across multiple industries. The firm disclosed a $39m Series B and plans to use the funds to further scale its technology platform and grow its team across key regions worldwide. Its product offering emphasizes real-time ocean data collection and analytics to support forecasting, operational efficiency and risk assessment for maritime and coastal stakeholders. Sofar combines OpenROV’s Trident 1080p underwater drone and Spoondrift’s solar-powered Spotter buoy to let scientists and consumers collect above- and below-surface ocean data. The Trident is priced at $1,700, requires a cord to a surface buoy, and offers about three hours of dive time and roughly 2 m/s speed; Spotter sells for $4,900 versus roughly $100,000 for some professional sea sensors. The products target use cases including video capture, wave and weather tracking, fishing/diving spotting, hull and infrastructure inspection, aquaculture monitoring, and law-enforcement applications. Hardware owners are not required to share data back to Sofar, though many customers have been eager to and have requested better data portability. The company plans to scale sensor deployment to increase climate and ecological data coverage and to explore ways to monetize aggregated data in the future. Sofar also intends to use funding to develop safeguards so Trident drones do not trespass into restricted areas; the company frames its mission around connecting humanity to the ocean with a conservationist ethos.

Total raised

$46M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Nov 2021